Disney/Pixar’s WALL-E sparked at $23.2 million — best opening day ever for them – and Wanted fair pretty well too with $19 million. The Friday’s total box office scored a whopping $42 million between these two openers.

With WALL-E being G-rated and Wanted being R-rated the whole specturm of targeted audience members goes to the movies.

Last weeks Get Smartlost 50% of the gross but still faired well on Friday with $6.6 million.

Speculatively and conservatively we can expect WALL-Eto bring in about $60 million or more this weekend.  If he wants to beat his Disney/Pixar cousins, The Incredibles ($70.4 million) and Finding Nemo ($70.2 million), he’ll need to bet on the critic-driven adult audience and kiddies’ matinees.

It’s no surprise to me after “Camp Rock’s” big debut Friday and through the weekend; Disney Channel is moving right along a sequel to the Jonas Brothers cable movie.

If everything movies in their favor into production on a sequel states in late spring or summer 2009, pending a script that’s in development as well as the cast members’ busy schedules.

All of the principal cast — Joe, Kevin and Nick Jonas as well as Demi Lovato — are expected to return. The Jonases and Lovato, who are touring together this summer, also are working on their respective Disney Channel series, “J.O.N.A.S.” and “Welcome to Mollywood.”

For the past few weeks it seems all I heard about from my daughter and her friends was Disney’s latest cable TV movie, Camp Rock. I suspect I will hear more about Camp for a few more weeks while Disney Channel and Disney online repeat broadcasts.  I mustn’t forget about Disney Radio playing the soundtrack as well with taped interviews with the stars.

Recently reported the stars of Camp Rock, the Jonas Brothers, have sealed a deal for their own series on the Disney Channel.

Don’t get me wrong. I like the Jonas Brothers and I am impressed with Disney’s marketing ploy.

Friday night it rocked with Camp Rock as Disney snatched up on the average 8.9 million viewers mostly the ages between 6 and 14.  About the last 30-minutes of the movie hit 10 million viewers.   It is obvious that Disney knows what they are doing to generate viewership.  I am sure the next Jonas Brothers movie is in the works, too.

/Film carries word that the teaser trailer for Bolt might be attached to Pixar’s WALL-E, which hits screens nationwide next week. Keeping that in mind, the site reports that Disney has just released the first theatrical teaser poster for the movie. The site notes that this implies the inclusion of a teaser trailer before WALL-E.

The project has gone through a re-envisioning, with the first imagining being quite unique and cartoonish to be exact. It was racy and had far more memorable characters than the new tamed down, 3D version. Bolt also stars Miley Cyrus, if that’s any indication of things to come.

Taylor Swift is teaming up with Miley Cyrus and Miley’s dad Billy Ray Cyrus for Hannah Montana: The Movie.

It’s a cameo role, but apparently the two girls are becoming good friends during the gig.

Swift told PEOPLE that it’s exciting to share the spotlight in the Disney feature. 

Swift recently performed on the Todayshow and spoke highly of her her friend Miley.

Since they are both living in Nashville, they can hang out together.

Variety reports that Disney’s “Prince of Persia” has signed Alfred Molina, who joins Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton and Ben Kingsley in the Mike Newell-directed adaptation of the Ubisoft fantasy action game, now movie.  

Molina will play Sheik Amar, who becomes a mentor to the prince.

Shooting is slated to begin in July in the U.K. and Morocco.

 

E! Online has a nice little update about Mily Cyrus.

I n case Miley Cyrus has been missing her Disneyfied alter ego while recording her first all-Miley album, she’s in luck.

Production has kicked off on Hannah Montana: The Movie, which will be filming in and around Nashville, the Walt Disney Co. announced Thursday.

Cyrus had previously told E! News she would be forgoing the average 15-year-old’s summer pursuits-boys, mall, beach, boys-in favor of completing her feature-length film. (She probably won’t be giving up iced mochas anytime soon, though.)

 

Weekend Box Office

May 16 – May 18

1. Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (WALT DISNEY)

3,929 (Theatres)

$56,600,000 (Gross for the weekend)

2. Iron Man (PARAMOUNT)

4,154

$31,200,000

3. What Happens in Vegas (FOX)

3,255

$13,800,000

4. Speed Racer (WARNER BROS.)

3,606

$7,600,000

5. Baby Mama (UNIVERSAL)

2,503

$4,600,000

6. Made of Honor (SONY)

2,816

$4,500,000

7. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (UNIVERSAL)

1,601

$2,500,000

8. Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanmo Bay (WARNER BROS.)

1,403

$1,800,000

9. Forbidden Kingdom (LIONSGATE)

997

$1,000,000

10. The Visitor (OVERTURE)

224

$687,000

 

I am pretty excited about the sequel to 2005 “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” The PG rated film is destined to take the box office this weekend with 3,929 domestic theaters and no films opening wide against it.
Sequel is widely anticipated to be one of the summer’s most successful films.

One of the reasons I am excited about the sequel is that “Prince Caspian” reteams director Andrew Adamson with the principal cast from the first film.
The new film is slightly older than the first “Narnia” with more action and likely a broader appeal.

 

Ashley Tisdale is on a roll! She’s fantastic in the Disney’s “High School Musical” movies playing rich-girl Sharpay Evans. Tisdale is negotiating to star in a remake of “Teen Witch” for United Artists. Go Girl!Tisdale just finished production on her theatrical film debut in the comedy “They Came From Upstairs.” She is in preproduction on the next of Disney’s moneymaking “HSM” phenomenon, which is being arranged for a never before theatrical feature and should open in October.

Tisdale is also making progress in becoming a producer of a one-year first-look deal with FremantleMedia North America.